Vocal Traditions in Conflict by Richard Bethell Richard Bethell has just published his new book Vocal Traditions in Conflict: Descent from Sweet, Clear, Pure and Affecting Italian Singing to Grand Uproar. His 400 page book, in full colour, is the … Read More
Palestrina For All: Unwrapping, Singing, Celebrating by Jonathan Boswell This new book on Palestrina is written for the general reader. It describes large numbers of the works in accessible fashion, including many neglected treasures. It addresses the history and explores … Read More
Directed by Tomós Watkins The Village Hall, Culmstock; 6th July 2019 An exploration of Vespers repertoire in the Southern European tradition for Voices and Portative Organ It was warm in the Culm valley on 6th July, when we gathered, just … Read More
Workshop directed by David Allison Gloucester Cathedral; 11th May 2019 Joint Workshop with BMEMF On a lovely sunny day, Gloucester Cathedral was looking wonderful, with the forecourt, previously simply a car park area, newly renovated. There were more treats in … Read More
Summer is looking very lively, with a bounty of festivals, summer schools and our own exciting workshops—two in July—to which to look forward. It’s got off to a great start both in terms of weather and early music, following the … Read More
There is a whole host of tempting workshops to choose from with this edition of the Diary. First we have a lovely new Devon venue for our singing day with Tomos Watkins; then we return to familiar territory in Backwell, … Read More
Workshop directed by Emma Hornby All Saints, Clifton; 5th May 2019 Part of the inaugural Bristol Early Music Festival What a contrast! When Emma Hornby ran a workshop on plainchant in 2015 there were 13 of us, supported by five … Read More
Workshop directed by Tim Brown The Salt House, West Bay, Dorset; 23rd March 2019 This was a new venue and a new tutor for 50 or so SWEMF members and friends at a very well-attended workshop. The new venue was … Read More
Workshop directed by Tim Bayley Gloucester Cathedral, 16th March 2019 Once again in the lovely setting of the Parliament Room at Gloucester Cathedral, we had a very successful day’s playing under the baton of Tim Bayley of the York Waits. … Read More
A Workshop for Singers directed by Peter Syrus St John’s Church, Glastonbury, 26th January 2019 One of the pleasures of SWEMF events is being introduced to little known composers like Peter Phillips. (For example, I have on computer file 3300 … Read More
And what, I hear some of you say, has the image from this Diary got to do with early music? It’s a good question, to which I might reply in one of two ways. Firstly, the classical myths are profoundly … Read More
I hope you’ve all got the date of the AGM in your diaries: it will be on July 20th in Backwell, at the workshop to be led by the ever-popular Peter Leech, our past Chair. There will be more details … Read More
The Noticeboard has been updated with details of a Morley Spinet for Sale in Ashburton, Devon. See the Noticeboard for full details.
Directed by Matt Kingston St. John’s Church, West Bay, 22nd September 2018 It was a dull, sea-misty sort of day on 22nd September at West Bay, Dorset this year, but spring arrived when the assembled company of three dozen singers and … Read More
There is always much to enjoy in the music of the festive season. Much of the best is early music, often partnered by contemporary pieces inspired by those forebears. The SWEMF new year will get off to a good start … Read More
Regular readers will recall that in our June Diary, I gave some details of the Bristol Early Music Festival being planned for next May at All Saints Church, Pembroke Road, Clifton. Arrangements have been proceeding over the intervening months, and … Read More
The website now includes the facility to submit events you think may be of interest to SWEMF members. Events will be reviewed for suitability before they are published to the site.
Until recently, Wales had no Early Music Forum of its own. Wales Early Music Forum Cymru has been launched to remedy this! The inaugural workshop of the new Forum was held on 6 October in Sennybridge near Brecon – a … Read More
As the debates about authentic musical performance still go on, and we are now encouraged to use the term ‘historically informed’ to describe performances of early music which reach for authenticity, I reach for a hard hat as I attempt … Read More
Directed by Graham Coatman St. Luke’s Church Bath, 7th July 2018 Splendours of la Serenissima – Lo Sposalizio del Mare Singing and Playing day for singers and players of recorders and other instruments, hosted by the Bath Society of Recorder Players. … Read More
Directed by Jonathan Rees Bristol Music Club, 17th June 2018 This meeting was something of an experiment for SWEMF, since it’s the first time we have put on a workshop jointly with another organisation. Quite a few SWEMF members also belong to … Read More
A Workshop for Voices and Instruments directed by Alison Kinder Backwell, 9th June 2018 Many people know the story of William Kemp, the clown with the big ego who Morris-danced (‘daunced’) his way from London to Norwich in nine days; … Read More
What a sweltering summer! My family and I are coming to the end of our sabbatical in Cambridge, where there has been no let-up and almost no rain for months. I’ve learnt to be like Greek island women, getting up early and doing … Read More
Looking back over the list of past workshops, one cannot help noticing that most of the repertoire we cover is from the Renaissance and early Baroque. This is perhaps not surprising, since works from that period are more suited to the kind of … Read More
A workshop for voices directed by Tim Mirfin Thorverton, 28th April 2018 This was difficult music, and the 42 singers who attended St Thomas of Canterbury at Thorverton, under Tim Mirfin’s enlightening direction and Becky Stannard’s excellent organization, had to … Read More
Workshop directed by Tim Bayley Gloucester Cathedral, 21st April 2018 A whole day of playing ‘Loud Wind’ instruments: Shawms, Curtals, Cornetti, Sackbuts, Crumhorns; for some this would sound like hell, for others like heaven. When these instruments were first around … Read More
Consort Music from the court of Maximilian I A complete edition of National Library of Austria, Ms. 18 810 A new, unique edition by viol & recorder player David Hatcher of this important manuscript, containing 86 pieces in 3, 4 & 5 parts by many of … Read More
A workshop for singers and continuo directed by Peter Syrus Glastonbury, 3rd February 2018 When the leader of a day’s workshop on Schütz tells you that he ‘hates’ virtually all four-part choral works, it can make you wonder if you’ve … Read More
A workshop for Instruments Cheddar, 14th October 2017 We had fewer applicants for this event this year probably due to the fact that, being in October, the date coincided with other events. However, 16 players had a very enjoyable day … Read More
A workshop for voices and instruments on the music of the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648) – directed by Gawain Glenton Keynsham, 23rd September 2017 This was the first workshop run by Gawain for SWEMF, but all of us present hope it … Read More
Workshop directed by Peter Leech Yatton, 8th July 2017 St Mary’s, Yatton, a few miles south of Bristol, is a venue worth revisiting; it has good facilities, reasonable parking, and is easily accessible for many members. Peter Leech is a … Read More
Workshop directed by Alison Kinder Thornbury, 17th June 2017 NB: where voice parts are indicated below — SATB etc. — these are the composers’ original voicings, not necessarily as we performed the works, with instruments replacing voices rather than doubling! … Read More
Workshop directed by William Carslake Corsham, 20th May 2017 Corsham’s magnificent Georgian Town Hall was the setting for the SWEMF Workshop for Singers on May 20th. On the menu, a feast of favourites by Josquin, Mouton, Pierre de la Rue … Read More
Workshop directed by Frances Eustace West Bay, 25th March 2017 A glorious spring day in March, bright sunshine sparkling on the sea, wind whipping the trees around, we gathered in West Bay for a day of music from the Spanish … Read More
Workshop directed by Tim Bayley Gloucester, 4th March 2017 A goodly mixed band of recorders, shawms, dulcians, a sackbut and even a great bass crumhorn, met in the Parliament Room, Gloucester Cathedral, on Saturday 4th March 2017 under the excellent, … Read More
‘Something Borrowed…’ Refashioning in the Golden Age of English Church Music – Workshop for voices directed by Peter Syrus St Mary’s Church, Glastonbury, 28th January 2017 This intriguing title attracted 34 singers to the church hall of St Mary’s, Glastonbury … Read More